An important cornerstone in the control of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a well-designed quantitative system for the surveillance of spread and temporal trends in AMR. Since 2008, the Dutch national AMR surveillance system, based on routine data from medical microbiological laboratories (MMLs), has developed into a successful tool to support the control of AMR in the Netherlands. It provides background information for policy making in public health and healthcare services, supports development of empirical antibiotic therapy guidelines and facilitates in-depth research. In addition, participation of the MMLs in the national AMR surveillance network has contributed to sharing of knowledge and quality improvement. A future improvement will be the implementation of a new semantic standard together with standardised data transfer, which will reduce errors in data handling and enable a more real-time surveillance. Furthermore, the scientific impact and the possibility of detecting outbreaks may be amplified by merging the AMR surveillance database with databases from selected pathogen-based surveillance programmes containing patient data and genotypic typing data.

• Quantitative data - Quantitative data were used during the intervention

Leverstein-van Hall MA, van de Sande-Bruinsma N. (ISIS-AR: A new system for surveillance of antimicrobial resistance). ISISAR: een nieuw systeem voor surveillance van antimicrobiële resistentie. Ned Tijdschr Med Microbiol.2008;16(3):10-6.
van de Sande-Bruinsma N, Thijsen S, Leverstein-van Hall MA. (Surveillance of antibiotic resistance in the Netherlands: ISIS-AR and ISISweb). Antibioticaresistentiesurveillance in Nederland: ISIS-AR en ISISweb. Ned Tijdschr Med Microbiol.2010;18(4):10-8.
Leenstra T, Thijssen SFT, Van der Bij AK. (ISIS-AR – insight in 7 years local and national trends in antibiotic resistance). ISIS-AR - inzicht in 7 jaar lokale en nationale antibioticaresistentietrends. Ned Tijdschr Med Microbiol.2015;23(1):22-8.

• Human - All activities regarding organisations and individuals involved in health products and services

• Healthcare delivery